Ralph Lauren CEO On Giving Feedback: "You Need To Hit People With A 2x4"

Ralph Lauren CEO Patrice Louvet is making headlines for his blunt take on leadership and employee feedback. In a recent appearance on LinkedIn's This is Working podcast, the 60-year-old executive said that when it comes to addressing serious issues at work, subtlety doesn't always work.

"If there's a big issue, then you've got to start with the issue, and go straight on," Louvet said, as quoted by Fortune. "And sometimes people need to be hit by a 2X4 across the forehead, because it doesn't always register right."

While the remark raised eyebrows, Louvet clarified that it was a figure of speech-referring to a 2X4 piece of lumber commonly used in construction- to stress the need for direct and unambiguous communication in critical situations.

The French-born CEO, who has led the iconic fashion brand since 2017, shared that this no-nonsense approach is reserved for major setbacks, like missing crucial deadlines. For smaller issues, however, he believes in a more balanced method-starting with an employee's strengths before addressing areas of improvement.

"Provide the feedback through the lens that these are opportunities for development," said Louvet, who previously spent nearly 30 years at Procter & Gamble. His leadership mantra: spend 80% of your time honing your strengths and 20% improving weaknesses.

Louvet's comments have sparked debate online, with some applauding his candour, while others questioned the impact of such tough-love tactics in modern workplaces.